The two titanic egos, Michelin-starred chef Gordon Ramsay and South African celebrity Nataniël, are at it again. Watch them with knives drawn in the new Checkers TV ad that launches nationally on August 23, 2013. The ad pits the two unlikely personalities against each other as they taste, evaluate and comment on some of the best local and international cheeses and wines now offered by Checkers.
The commercial is a follow up to last month’s successful launch of the new Checkers campaign showcasing Nataniël and Gordon assessing the innovative beef and pork brands that the retailer has recently introduced. This time, however, things get a little more heated, as Nataniël continually quips in Afrikaans, much to the bemusement of the Scottish-born chef. Their diverse personalities go a long way to complement the assortment of the
Checkers cheese range, represented in the ad by the arrival of the world’s best cheddar, matured in oak for 12 months and produced by Wyke Farms in the UK as well as South Africa’s best cheese, a blue-veined Roquefort from Fairview.
Checkers’ new range of international wines from eight of the world’s best wineproducing countries, are also put to the test. New wines, including original French Bordeaux blends and Italian Chiantis have been added to offer
international varieties to local consumers. The new campaign very deftly conveys just how far Checkers is taking its foodie promise to consumers. Says Neil Schreuder, Marketing Director of Checkers:
We’ve sourced best-inclass, world-renowned cheeses from artisanal and other specialty producers to bring the pleasure of the delicatessen back to the supermarket, giving more South Africans a true taste of local and international flavours. The same goes for our wines that we’ve selected, not only from South Africa’s best but also from top-flight European winemakers and those from New Zealand and Chile.
He said the association with the two high-profile personalities was being perceived by shoppers as a fresh and original way of keeping them updated on the growing selection available from Checkers.
The response has been incredible so far. In spite of the obvious differences between Ramsay and Nataniël on camera, they actually get on very well! The first ad was viewed over 200,000 times online before it even aired on television and I expect the new ad will create an even bigger stir! All this positive sentiment has motivated us to continue on our journey of getting better for our customers.